Ski line winder



June 20, 1967 A J. BONDESEN, JR, ET AL SKI LINE WINDER Filed Oct. 2, 1964 llvviwrofls:

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United States Patent Ofiice 3,326,493 Patented June 20, 1967 3,326,493 SKI LINE WINDER Anton J. Bondesen, Jr., 4050 San Bernardino Way 95111. and Rodger F. Carr, 5712 Condor Circle 95118, both of San Jose, Caiif.

Filed Oct. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 401,169 1 Claim. (Cl. 242--107.4)

This invention relates to water skiing tow line reel and more particularly to a self retriever for such tow line.

Numerous types and styles of water skiing tow line Winches are known in the art for the purpose of controlling retrieving of such tow lines. The present invention proposes the provision of a compact tow line reel adapted to be detachably mounted on the transom of a boat for storing, paying out and rewinding such tow line.

It is an object of this invention to provide a self powered rewinder for a ski tow line.

.It is another object to provide a simple yet effective reel arrangement and means for releasably mounting the same on the transom of a boat. In this connection the mounting means has a self aligning feature whereby the reel is maintained in a plane congruent to that of the line extended therefrom.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a self powered reel with braking means which can be set to hold the reel in any intermediate position irrespective of the length of cable extending from the reel. In this connection it is a further object to provide a quick release for such braking means.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description and claim in the light of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the transom end of a boat having the tow line reel of the present invention mounted thereon.

-FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the tow line reel of FIG. 1 taken substantially along line 22 thereof.

7 FIG. 3 is a side elevation of FIG. 2 as seen from the right side thereof with parts broken away and sectionalized for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 4 is a partial section of FIG. 2 taken along line 44 thereof.

Referring to the drawing the tow line control of the present invention generally designated includes a reel housing 11 and means 12 for releasably mounting the same on the transom T of a boat A.

The housing 11 is a hollow casting 13 open at one side 14 and provided with a flange 15 having a milled surface adapted to receive a Water tight gasket 16 and a cover plate 17. Suitable machine screws 18 are provided around the perimeter of the cover plate 17 for securing the same to the flange 15 of the casting 13.

The base side 19 of the casting 13 is provided with suitable bosses formed integrally therewith. One of these bosses 20 serves as a mounting for a shaft 21 for a line storage spool 22 and other bosses 23 provide plural mounting pads for a rewinding mechanism 25.

The line storage reel or spool 22 includes a hub 26 mounted for rotation on the shaft 21, a suitable bearing 27 being provided between them. The hub 26 has a spool 22 formed integrally therewith to provide ample storage for a tow line 28 one end 29 of which is anchored to the hub of the spool. The opposite end 30 of the tow line 28 pays out of the housing 11 via a narrow throat 31 (FIG. 3). The throat 31 is of a width comparable to the spool 22 and of a height substantially matching the radial depth of the spool.

Suitable braking means 35 is provided between the spool 22 and the housing 11. This braking means 35 comprises a drum 36 formed integrally with one wall 37 of the spool 22 and a drag and locking pin 38 mounted on flange 15 for radial movement toward and from the drum 36. The pin 38 is normally retracted relative to the drum 36 by means of an expansion spring 39 which seats in a recess 40 formed in the flange 15 concentric to the pin. The pin 38 has an enlarged rounded head 41 for urging the pin outwardly and away from the drum and for providing a bearing surface for the cam end 42 of a lever 43 for depressing and locking the pin in drum engaging position.

The lever 43 is pivotally mounted as at 44 on a pinion bolt 45 extending between a pair of ears 46 formed on the casting 13. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the cam 42 has one seat 47 on its narrower side into which the rounded head 41 of the pin 38 seats in one of its extreme positions to hold the pin in retracted condition (FIG. 3). A similar seat 48 is formed on the cam end 42 of the lever into which the rounded head 41 of the pin 38 seats in the other one of its extreme positions (FIG. 4). When the pin 38 is fully depressed as illustrated in FIG. 4 its inner end is disposed to extend into a hole 49 bored into the drum 36 for locking the latter and the spool 22 against turning about the shaft 21. Several such holes 49 are provided about the periphery of the drum 36 as for example at quarter points as best seen in FIG. 3.

The rewinding mechanism 25 comprises a laterally extending shaft 50 mounted on a flanged boss 51 bolted as shown to the mounting pads provided by the bosses 23 on the casting 13. The boss 51 has the shaft 50 extending laterally therefrom for mounting a drum 52 for turning thereon. A suitable bearing 53 between the hub 54 of the drum and the pinion 5G is secured to the latter to provide anti-friction turning of the drum freely on the shaft 50.

The perimeter of the drum 52 has gear teeth 55 formed thereon dn'vingly meshing with gear teeth 56 formed on the hub 26 of the spool 22. The gear ratio is such that the drum 52 turns at a slower speed than the spool 22. Within the drum 52 of the rewinding mechanism 25 is a heavy steel flat spring 57 having its inner convolute 58 anchored to the stationary shaft 50 and its outer end 59 secured to the drum 52 adjacent the inner periphery of the drum flange. The outer end 59 of the spring 57 is secured to a bolt 60 mounted on the drum 52. When the drum 52 turns, the bolt 60 moves in a circular path to wind up -or unwind the spring 57 dependent upon the direction in which the drum 52 is turning. The inner end 58 of the s ring 57 is disposed in a diametn'c slot 61 formed in the shaft 50 (FIG. 3). The arrangement is such that when the tow line is pulled out of the housing 11 it pays out of the spool 22 and turns the latter counterclockwise FIG. 3. This causes the drum 52 of the rewinding mechanism to turn clockwise thereby tightening the spring 57 relative to its anchored inner end 58. The length of the tow line and speed of turn of the spool is such that when the line is fully paid out the spring 57 will be just short of completely being tightened within the drum 52.

The line is paid out by means of a load at the end of the tow line. For example a water skier holding the end of the tow line as the craft is propelled forwardly causes the line to pay out from the spool 22.

The spool 22 can be stopped and locked in any desired position by means of the lever 43 so that any desired length of tow line can be paid out between the extreme limits of extendability thereof. When a water skier lets the line go the load on the end of the line is overcome by the rewinding mechanism 25. Assuming the brake means 35 to be off (as indicated in FIG. 3) the loaded spring 57 will immediately unwind causing the drum 52 to turn in a direction to reel in the tow line 28. In this manner the tow line 28 is drawn completely back upon the spool 22 and danger of fouling of the propeller of the craft minimized.

The spring 57 is maintained in circumferential alignment upon the shaft 50 by means of guide plates carried by the drum 52. An inner plate 75 which is secured within the drum 52 by screws 76 has a U shape. The bight 77 of the plate 75 has an enlarged center opening 78 encompassing but not touching the shaft 50 so as to dispose the bight portion 77 of plate 75 adjacent the inner edges of the coiled flat spring 57. An outer plate 79 is secured by machine screws 80 to the outer edge of the drum '52 adjacent the outer edges of the coiled flat spring 57.

As best seen in FIG. 3 the tow line control unit can be demounted from the craft by the means 12. This means 12 comprises a mounting bracket 62 adapted to be bolted as at B to the transom T at the stern end of the craft. The bracket 62 has a pair of axially aligned pins 63 and 64 formed on the upper surface of upper and lower brackets 65 and 66, respectively, each formed integrally with the mounting bracket 62.

A companion set of ears 67 and 68 are formed integrally on that edge 69 of the casting 13 which is opposite the throat 31 through which the tow line '28 pays out. These ears 67 and 68 have aligned bores adapted to receive the aligned pins 63 and 64 respectively of the mounting bracket 62. A cotter pin 70 extends through a diametric hole formed in the uppermost one of the pins 62 after the car 67 is mounted thereon. This serves to secure the tow line control unit 10 in place upon the craft. This pin 70 may have a lock associated therewith whereby to prevent theft of the unit 10 when the craft is left unattended.

The foregoing mounting means '12 is such that the tow line control unit 10 swings about the hinge-like mounting between the pins 63-64 and the ears 67-68. In this manner the plane in which the spool is disposed will always follow that of the extended tow line which will be determined by the position of the skier being towed. In other words, due to this hinge-like mounting, the entire unit including the reel is self aligned in a plane established by the load being towed, and the extension of the cable between the load and the unit 10.

While we have described our invention in specific detail it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same may be susceptible to variations, alterations and/or modifications without departing from the spirit of our invention. We therefore desire to avail ourselves of all variations, alterations and/or modifications of structure which may reasonably come within the purview of the following claim.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In a water skiing tow line rewinder of the type in.- cluding a housing and a cable supporting reel having gear connection to a spring-loaded gear journaled in said housing on adjacent parallel shafts:

a braking means comprising in combination a drum flange formed integrally with one wall of said cable supporting reel,

a plurality of holes formed radially through said drum flange,

a spring-loaded pin mounted on said housing for radial movement between extreme positions toward and from said drum flange for engagement inor retraction from one or another of the holes formed in said drum flange, said spring-loaded pin having an enlarged rounded head,

a cam level pivotally mounted on said housing on an axis transverse to said spring-loaded pin, said cam lever having a pair of recesses formed thereon for seating engagement with the rounded head of said spring-loaded pin, one of said recesses being disposed in closer relation to the pivotal axis of said lever than the other whereby the rounded head of said spring-loaded pin becomes set in one or the other of said recesses for securing said spring-loaded pin in one or the other of its extreme positions at the option of the user of said tow line rewinder,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,747 12/1898 Taylor 242107.4

993,409 5/ 191-1 Roderick 2 4-2.--107.4 1,004,753 l0/1911 Doust 242107.4 1,061,642 5/1913 Stoup 242106 X 2,133,551 10/ 193 8 Logan 24210 7.3 2,578,837 12/1951 Raney. 2,915,259 12/1959 Force 242107 2,936,652 5/1960 Gunzner 74-527 2,990,131 6/ 1961 Carlsson 242-107.4 3,041,044 6/1962 Nixon 242107.3 X

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

W. S. BURDEN, Assistant Examiner. 

